Wow, where to start? With Real Madrid you're never short on things to talk about, but this week is certainly up there with the busiest of them since I've been writing this blog.

A last-minute leveller from Malaga to deny Los Blancos a win at the Bernabeu last weekend, another dropping of points in a 1-1 draw at Villarreal in midweek, which included four sendings-off for Madrid - two on the pitch and two off it - all of which has allowed Barcelona an unlikely route back into the Liga title race. Add to that the media black-out that followed the game at El Madrigal and the decision not to hold a press conference before this weekend's game against Sociedad.

It's just another week at the Bernabeu. Oh, did I forget to mention Madrid have announced plans to build their own island, too?

Constant rumour and speculation is par for the course when it comes to Real Madrid. Whether Los Blancos have a settled side winning week-in, week-out, or whether they have a side struggling for improvement, not a day goes by without players being linked with a move to, or away from, the Santiago Bernabeu.

It's usually why I steer clear of the majority and take the rumours with a pinch of salt as do, I suspect, the majority of Madridistas. Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo, Gonzalo Higuain and Esteban Granero are amongst the names making the headlines with possible moves away from the Spanish capital this season. Players such as Neymar, Sergio Aguero and Luis Suarez are amongst those being mentioned with a move in the other direction.

Two rumours have caught my attention this week, however, and compelled me to mention them in this week's blog. Arsenal striker Robin van Persie's possible move to the Bernabeu - and Madrid manager Jose Mourinho's possible move away.

It's midway through the season for Madrid...almost. It's the La Liga winter break anyway, and almost midway through the campaign. So with this is mind, it's as good a time as any to do a bit of a 'mid-term' report on Los Blancos so far. You know, the kind you always got at school and usually (in my case anyway), hid from your parents until as late as possible. 'Can do better' was my usual report, probably a bit of a kick up the behind to get me in the right gear for the 'business end' of the school year - the bit that really matters.

The 'bit that really matters' is yet to come for Jose Mourinho and his men, and although some 'kicking up the behind' may be necessary to keep Madrid's forward momentum going, there certainly isn't much of the 'can do better' on this report card. El Clasico, as usual, aside.

It's an A from me. Top of La Liga, comfortable progress in the Champions League and goals galore. The only thing preventing Madrid's report card being an A+ is the slip-up against old foes Barcelona.